The invention relates to hinged double gate structures of the kind having two gates hingably supported for swinging between open and closed positions. More particularly the invention relates to a novel latch assembly for such gate structures.
Hinged double gate structures are well known and are commonly used as closures for relatively wide access openings, such as driveway openings through walls or fences. Typically two gates are each hinged along one vertical edge, referred to herein as their inner edges, to vertical supports located at opposite sides of the access openings which may be closed by the gates. Each gate is swingable independently between open and closed positions. In the closed position the gates are disposed in edge to edge generally coplanar relationship across the access opening with their remaining vertical edges, referred to herein as their outer edges, adjacent to one another.
Double gate structures of this kind are latched in the closed position by a latch assembly. The most widely used latch assembly for this purpose has a latch rod slidably and rotatably supported by brackets which are attached to the outer edge of one gate. The lower end of this rod cooperates with a latch socket or the like imbedded in the ground in a position to receive the rod when the gate on which it is carried is disposed in the closed position. The latch rod and one rod bracket, carried on the rod, have coacting anti-rotation means which engage to lock the rod against rotation about the longitudinal axis of the rod when it is disposed in latching position in the socket. These anti-rotation means disengage to release the rod for rotation when the rod is elevated or retracted from a latching position.
Rigidly joined to the upper end of the latch rod is a latch yoke having spaced latch arms extending transversely of the rod. When the latch rod is disposed in the latching position with its anti-rotation means engaged, each yoke arm extends away from the gate mounting the rod and also in generally parallel relationship to the plane of the gate mounting the rod. In this position of the yoke, its latching position, the yoke arms are disposed in straddling relationship to the outer edge of the other gate when it is in the closed position.
With the gates closed and both the latch rod and yoke in latching position, the latch assembly latches both gates closed. The gates are released for opening by raising the latch rod from the latching position. This action releases the gate mounting the latch rod by virtue of retraction of the rod from the latch socket and releases the other gate by virtue of release of the rod and yoke to rotate and thereby enabling disengagement of the latter gate from the yoke.
The double gate latch assembly of the kind described has a significant disadvantage in that opening of one gate only while the other gate remains latched in closed position is difficult to accomplish, particularly with one hand, and requires several motions. More particularly, opening of one gate only requires initial elevation of the latch rod from the latching position, swinging of the latter gate from latching engagement with the freely rotatable latch yoke, and return of the yoke and rod to latching position. In the course of opening the one gate, the other gate, that is the gate mounting the latch rod, is also released for opening with the result that the latter gate must be either held in the closed position during this process or returned to the closed position after opening of the one gate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,593, which issued to the applicant herein on Dec. 31, 1974, relates to an improved double gate latch assembly that has a latch rod slidably supported by brackets to be attached to the outer edge of one gate. Mounted on the upper end of this rod is a latch yoke for straddling the outer edge of the other gate when the gates are in closed position. The latch rod is vertically movable to and from a latching position wherein its lower end is disposed for latching engagement in a latch socket or the like imbedded in the ground. In contrast to the conventional latch assembly, however, the latch rod is keyed against rotation about its longitudinal axis throughout the range of axial movement of the rod relative to its supporting brackets. Also, the latch yoke is pivotally attached to the upper end of the latch rod on a transverse pivot axis. When the rod is mounted along the outer edge of one gate, the yoke pivot axis is generally normal to the plane of the gate and the yoke arms generally parallel to this plane.
When the gate structure is latched closed the lower end of the latch rod engages in the ground imbedded latch socket to latch close the gate which mounts the rod. The latch yoke extends horizontally away from the gate which mounts the rod and straddles the outer edge of the other gate. Since the latch rod is restrained against rotation, the latter gate is also then latched closed. Means are provided for locking the latch rod and yoke in these latching positions and thereby locking the gates closed.
The gate straddled by the latch yoke is released for opening without unlatching the other gate by simply swinging the yoke from its horizontal latching position. Both gates are released for opening simultaneously by retracting both the yoke and latch bar from the latching position.
It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus which will be a still further improvement over the prior art and more particularly will, in part, be more simple to manufacture.
It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus which will be convenient and easy to operate.
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus which may be installed in less time than the prior art apparatus.